The following Calls to Action (C2A) have changed their status since the last update on Oct. 4, 2021
Status Change
C2A
Description
Status Change
Why has the status changed?
29
Settlements for residential schools excluded from TRC
IN PROGRESS to STALLED
Federal Government continues to fight survivors of St. Anne’s IRS in court
49
Repudiate Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius
IN PROGRESS to COMPLETE
All four Church Settlement Parties have repudiated Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius; other churches commit to reconciliation
77
Death records of IRS to NCTR
IN PROGRESS to STALLED
Two years with no updates from any level of government except Ontario
Indigenous Watchdog Updates
The following represents a statistical snapshot of stakeholder actions: federal. provincial, territory and municipal governments, churches, business, associations, organizations etc. All the actions itemized in the following have been integrated into the Indigenous Watchdog website. The curated data from multiple sources delivers insight into what is happening with reconciliation across the country in each of the 5 Legacy Themes (Child Welfare, Education, Language and Culture, Heath and Justice and the 15 Reconciliation Themes.
Two of the Reconciliation themes, “Equity for Aboriginal People in the Justice System” and “Education for Reconciliation” have been included in the Legacy Education and Justice themes respectively to keep all actions related to Education and Justice in one place.
Section
2020
Mar. 31
June 14
Sept. 5
Oct. 4
Dec. 5
2021 Totals
Current Reality
26
5
13
13
4
6
41
Current Problems
189
55
56
49
11
33
204
Legacy Calls to Action
96
35
42
39
6
17
139
Reconciliation Calls to Action
55
5
17
33
6
16
77
Total
366
100
128
134
27
72
461
Sneak Peak: A re-designed Indigenous Watchdog website will be ready for launch in January 2022. This will be part of a significant expansion of content across the entire site: re-organized, optimized, intuitive and searchableto answer your questions easily and effectively. 60+ entirely new sections with additional content have already been added throughout Indigenous Watchdog with considerably more on the way…
For complete details on each of the content updates, please go the relevant Call to Action Home Page or Call to Action # for full details.
Child Welfare
Home Page – Current Reality
Update to Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
Oct. 29, 2021: Federal government appeals Federal Court decision upholding a 2019 ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that ordered Ottawa to pay $40,000 to thousands of First Nations children and their families and that expanded the eligibility criteria for Jordan’s Principle.
Update to “Provincial Actions”: New Brunswick
Oct. 29, 2021: New Brunswick Minister of Aboriginal Affairs announces they will stop issuing Birth Alerts to apprehend Indigenous babies
Home Page – Current Problems in Child Welfare
New content to “Child and Youth Advocate Reports”: Manitoba
Investigation of 45 youth suicides and homicides (2009-2018)
Nov. 4, 2020: ‘Finding the Way Back: An Aggregate investigation of 45 youths who died by suicide or homicide (2009 and 2018) (78% were Indigenous)
New content to “Child and Youth Advocate Reports”: Manitoba
Lack of supports for youth transitioning out-of-care
Oct. 28, 2021:Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs– AMC remains concerned about the continued lack of supports in place to ensure that youth in care successfully transition after aging out of the Child Welfare system (80% are Indigenous)
Call to Action # 1
Commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care
Update to “Why in Progress?”
Oct. 29, 2021 – Federal government appeals Federal Court decision upholding a Sept. 2, 2021 ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that ordered Ottawa to pay $40,000 to thousands of First Nations children and their families and that expanded the eligibility criteria for Jordan’s Principle
Update to Government Commitments to Child Welfare: New Brunswick
Oct. 29, 2021: New Brunswick Minister of Aboriginal Affairs announces they will stop issuing Birth Alerts to apprehend Indigenous babies
Call to Action # 3
Fully implement Jordan’s Principle
Update “Why Stalled?
Oct. 29 2021 – Federal government appeals Federal Court decision upholding a Sept. 2, 2021 ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that ordered Ottawa to pay $40,000 to thousands of First Nations children and their families and that expanded the eligibility criteria for Jordan’s Principle
Education
Home Page: Current Problems in Education
Government of Québec revises Ethics and Culture courses for post-secondary students
Oct. 26, 2021: Revision asserts that the rights of the “Quebec nation” in terms of culture, language and heritage are superior to those of other nations who share the territory and that this national supremacy is legitimate (Assembly of First Nations Québec- Labrador)
Failure of Government of Nunavut to integrate Inuit language and culture in public school system
Oct. 13, 2021: Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has filed a lawsuit against the Government of Nunavut for failing to provide a public school system offering Inuit equal opportunities to complete schooling in their own language and culture
Call to Action # 62
Consultations on Indigenous education reform, curriculum content, funding
Update to “Mandatory Government K-12 Indigenous Curriculum Development
Nov. 30, 2021: Québec government is investing $19.4 million to implement three measures covering direct student support, instructional material and program review
Call to Action # 65
Establish a National Research Program with multi-year funding
Update to “University Actions towards Research Practices”: Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the Université du Québec en Outaouais
Oct. 4, 2021: “Toolbox of Research” a reference tool developed by multiple Québec institutions intended for First Nations and Inuit, the academic world and the various practice milieus added two new content sections
Update to “University Actions towards Research Practices”: University of Toronto
Oct. 17, 2021: The Indigenous Research Network launched on September 29 with a mission to create a community of academically interconnected researchers to inspire Indigenous research at U of T.
Language and Culture
Home Page; Current Problems in Language and Culture
Failure of Government of Nunavut to integrate Inuit language and culture in public school system
Oct. 13, 2021: Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has filed a lawsuit against the Government of Nunavut for failing to provide a public school system offering Inuit equal opportunities to complete schooling in their own language and culture
Call to Action # 14
Enact an Indigenous Languages Act
Update to “Federal Actions to Implement Indigenous Languages Act”
Nov. 22, 2021: New Official Languages Minister says protecting Indigenous languages to make sure they are taught to future generations is a priority for the Liberal government, including support for Indigenous MPs who want to speak in the House of Commons in their mother tongues
Update to Provincial Commitments to Indigenous Languages
Oct. 29, 2021: Mi’kmaq is Nova Scotia’s first language and legislation next spring will help preserve, revitalize and promote it
Health
Home Page: Current Problems in Health
New content in “Systemic Racism in Health”: Coroner’s report into death of Joyce Echaquan
Oct. 5, 2021: Coroner’s inquest into death of Joyce Echaquan blames systemic racism in Québec’s health care system and presents a number of recommendations
Update to “Health Care Reform”: Nunavut failure to protect Inuit babies from RSV
Nov. 15, 2021: Failure of government of Nunavut to administer Palivizumab to Inuit babies – all of whom are at high risk of severe complications due to RSV, a respiratory virus
Update to “Systemic Racism in Health”: Independent investigation into systemic racism in BC Health care system
Dec. 1, 2021: Fewer than half of the 24 recommendations to address Indigenous-specific racism in the province’s health-care system have been fully implemented on the first anniversary of the “In Plain Sight” report
Call to Action # 18
Recognize and implement healthcare rights of Indigenous peoples
Update to Government Recognition of Indigenous People’s Rights to Health: Ontario
Updated Federal government Infographic: Progress on eliminating Drinking Water Advisories
Oct. 25, 2021 – Added table summarizing progress towards eliminating DWAs and added Oct. 25, 2021 version of Infographic from official government website
Home Page: Current Problems with Drinking Water Advisories
Update to “Auditor-General Report # 3: Operations and Maintenance Funding”
Dec. 1, 2021 : The government budgets fall short on financial help to First Nations to operate the systems, which Giroux’s office estimates would need $138 million more annually in federal funding
Health – Food Insecurity
Home Page: Current Problems in Food Insecurity
Food insecurity due to environmental degradation, socioeconomic, systemic and regulatory barriers
Oct. 21, 2021: “First Nations Food Insecurity and Sovereignty“, a collaborative research study involving 92 First Nations makes six recommendations to address food insecurity on First Nations
Justice
Home Page: Current Problems in Justice
New content to “Systemic Racism in Policing”: BCHRC submission on police reform
Nov. 24, 2021: BC Human Rights Commission issues 29 recommendations to address a disturbing pattern of discrimination in policing based on an analysis in 5 communities in B. C.
Update to “Systemic Racism in Policing”: Coroner’s recommendations in death of Rodney Levi
Oct. 11, 2021: Recommendations from coroner’s inquest into the death of Rodney Levi in New Brunswick were made in three areas: Indigenous Policing, RCMP, and Mental Health Services
New content “Federal/Provincial Justice Inquiries”: Manitoba First Nations priorities to implement MMIWG Calls to Justice
Oct. 4, 2021: Southern Chiefs Organization Survey results identify priorities to implement Calls to Justice to reduce violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people
Update to Federal and Provincial Justice Inquiries: Viens Commission Final Report
Oct. 4, 2021 – Government of Québec announced that 68 of the 142 Calls to Action (specific to the Québec Government) are “In Progress”. Also summarized progress-to-date
Update to “Systemic Racism in Policing” Unlawful arrest of Heiltsuk grandfather and his 14 year-old granddaughter by Vancouver Police Dept(VPD)
Oct. 21, 2021: “The Heiltsuk Nation and Maxwell Johnson disappointed by secret and exclusionary process the Vancouver Police Board and VPD have carried out to consider a new handcuffing policy
Update to “Systemic Racism in RCMP”: Excessive use of force in attack on Chief Adams
Oct. 29, 2021: Alberta’s government hired PwC Canada in October 2020 to study the feasibility of replacing the RCMP in Alberta with a provincial police service
Update to “Systemic Racism in Policing”: Killings in New Brunswick
Nov. 24, 2021: Wolastoqey Chiefs have declined to participate in the Higgs government’s alternative to an inquiry into systemic racism against Indigenous people. They have have been clear that an Indigenous-led independent inquiry is needed to review systemic racism against Indigenous people
Call to Action # 29
Settlement Agreements for those excluded from the TRC Process
Home Page: Current Reality
Status Change from “IN PROGRESS” to ‘STALLED
Oct. 25, 2021: Federal government continues to fight survivors of Ste. Anne’s Residential School in court and refuse to release documentation that could help to substantiate their claims of physical and sexual abuse
Update to “Settlements for Parties Excluded from the IRSSA” : Indian Day Schools
Oct. 25, 2021 – Federal Indian Day Schools Community Support Program re-instituting community visits to facilitate claims submission process. So far 93,000 claims have been paid
Update to “Settlements for Parties Excluded from the IRSSA: St. Anne’s IRS
Oct. 25, 2021: Nishnawbe Aski Nation – Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end Canada’s relentless legal battles against Survivors of the notorious St. Anne’s Indian Residential School and meet with them in the spirt of reconciliation
Update to “Settlements for Parties Excluded from the IRSSA:Sixties Scoop
Nov. 1, 2021: 60s Scoop Legacy with support of Manitoba Indigenous organizations calls for a national inquiry into the Sixties Scoop and for long-term funding support for Survivors
Call to Action # 30
Commit to eliminate overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in custody
Update to “Government Actions to Reduce Overrepresentation…”: BC
Oct. 5, 2021: The Virtual Indigenous Justice Centre, a partnership between the Province and the BC First Nations Justice Council will provide a range of assistance and supports to Indigenous peoples, who are otherwise not eligible and/or cannot access legal aid
Call to Action # 31
Update to “Government Commitments to Restorative Justice”: Alberta
Nov. 18, 2021: $720,000 funding for organizations that help resolve disputes and promote meaningful alternative dispute resolutions that hold offenders accountable while addressing victims’ needs
Call to Action # 36
Deliver culturally relevant services to inmates on social issues
Update to “Government Commitments to culturally relevant services”: Federal
Dec. 1, 2021: Jury recommendations into suicide of an Inuit man concluded that shortcomings in how the institution provided Inuit-specific supports likely contributed to his death
Call to Action # 41
Appoint a public inquiry into MMIWG
Update to Government Response to MMIWG Final Report: Manitoba
Oct. 8, 2021: The Manitoba government has introduced amendments to Bill 75, “the Path to Reconciliation Amendment Act” that would establish the MMIWG National Inquiry Calls for Justice as a key component of its approach to advancing truth and reconciliation
Update to “Responses to MMIWG Final Report from Indigenous Orgs.: BC Assembly of First Nations
Oct.4, 2021: The BCAFN is disappointed that action plans to implement the MMIWG National Inquiry’s Calls for Justice fully and swiftly have so far been ignored by the provincial and federal governments
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Home Page: Current Problems with UNDRIP Declaration
New content in “Ontario”: First Nations sues government seeking clarity on Duty to Consult…
Nov. 30, 2021 – Neskantaga First Nation is taking Ontario to court looking for “ground rules” on how the province should consult and accommodate Indigenous communities that are in a state of crisis
New content in “British Columbia”: Government of Alberta enlists two Métis organizations to fight “Oil Tanker Moratorium Act”
Nov. 24, 2021: Coastal First Nations fights back against Government of Alberta funding two “Métis” organizations to challenge “Oil Tanker Moratorium Act” in court. Métis Nation of Alberta does not recognize the two Métis organizations as legitimate representatives of Métis citizens
New content: “Manitoba“: Métis sue government over Section 35 Rights
Oct. 29, 2021: Manitoba Métis taking Government of Manitoba to court over continual violation of Section 35 Treaty rights including harvesting rights
New content: “Ontario”: Supreme Court “City of Toronto v Ontario (Attorney-General) confirms “full legal force” of the Honour of the Crown
Oct. 1, 2021: Supreme Court case around municipal elections with Métis Nation’s of Alberta and Ontario as intervenors confirms “full legal force” and principles of the “Honour of the Crown”
Update to “British Columbia: Wet’suwet’en protests against Coastal GasLink
Nov. 18, 2021: Fifteen peaceful Wet’suwet’en protestors, including Indigenous elders, media and legal observers arrested by armed RCMP officers in tactical gear with canine units and heavy machinery
Update to “Problems with BC UNDRIP Bill”
June 11, 2021: Government of BC released a “Declaration Act Draft Action Plan” for review and feedback from Indigenous peoples Sept. 23, 2021: Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw submits response to BC’s DRIPA Draft Action Plan with specific recommendations and comments on all four themes identified in the Draft Action Plan Nov. 29, 2021: The Province has yet to transform legislative processes to ensure new and existing laws are consistent with the UN Declaration, has not substantially and equitably advanced shared decision-making agreements with title and rights holders, and has not concluded an action plan – all obligations under its own law (First Nations leadership Council)
Update to “Ontario: “Ontario Government allowed up to 4,000 mining claims…”
Nov. 15, 2021: Ontario Government green-lighting drilling and excavation areas in Grassy Narrows territory using an out-dated and inaccurate map while ignoring Grassy Narrows Land Declaration and ongoing negotiations with the federal government on an Indigenous Sovereignty and Protected Area
Update to Québec “Innu Nation Labrador files lawsuit against Hydro-Québec”
Oct. 21, 2021: The Atikamekw Council of Wemotaci (CAW) and Hydro-Québec announced the signing of a master agreement that could lead to additional agreements
Update to New Brunswick: Six Wolastoqey Nations lawsuit in New Brunswick
Oct. 15, 2021: Government of New Brunswick’s new policy on territorial land acknowledgment which forbids GNB staff from issuing territorial or title acknowledgments, is purported to be in partial response to the Wolastoqey title claim
Call to Action # 43
Fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation
Update to “Government Commitments to UNDRIP?”
Nov. 28, 2021: On 2nd anniversary of BC passing UNDRIP legislation, First Nations Leadership Council criticizes BC Government’s failure to ensure alignment of BC laws with UNDRIP
Royal Proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation
Call to Action # 47
Repudiate Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius
Update to ” Government Response to Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius”: Québec
Oct. 24, 2021: Montréal Canadians Land Acknowledgement before Habs game “launches hysterical editorials, hours of inane talk radio chatter and the interference of Quebec’s populist right wing government since Québec was terra nullius (unoccupied) and legitimately claimed by France (Toronto Star)
Update to “Government Response to Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius: New Brunswick
Oct. 15, 2021: Government of New Brunswick’s new policy on territorial land acknowledgment which forbids GNB staff from issuing territorial or title acknowledgments, is purported to be in partial response to the Wolastoqey title claim
Church Apologies
Home Page: Current Reality
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Updates to Pope Francis visit to Canada
Oct. 27, 2021: Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help ongoing efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous people Nov. 10, 2021: 25-30 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican from December 17-20, 2021
Home Page: Current Problems with Church Apologies
Update to “Failure in fund-raising efforts”
Sept. 27, 2021: The Bishops of Canada are making a nation-wide collective financial commitment to raise up to $30M over 5 years to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors, their families, and their communitie
Update to “Pope Francis refuses to apologize”
Oct. 27, 2021: Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help ongoing efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous people Nov. 10, 2021: 25-30 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican from December 17-20, 2021
Call to Action # 58
Apology from the Pope to survivors of Catholic Church operated residential schools
Update to “Why In Progress?
Oct. 27, 2021: Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help ongoing efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous people Nov. 10, 2021: 25-30 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican from December 17-20, 2021
Update to “Timeline for Pope’s Apology”
Oct. 27, 2021: Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help ongoing efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous people Nov. 10, 2021: 25-30 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican from December 17-20, 2021
Missing Children and Burial Information
Home Page: Current Problems with Missing Children…
Update to “Unmarked graves discovered in Kamloops IRS”
Oct. 18, 2021: Prime Minister Trudeau visits Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation after neglecting to visit on Sept 30, the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Call to Action # 71
Deliver residential school death records to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Update to “Why Stalled?”
Nov. 1, 2021: According to Raymond Folger, Head of Archives at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, only BC and Alberta have fully complied. Other responses are incomplete
Update to: “Death certificates of Aboriginal Children…”: Ontario
Nov. 1, 2021: Ontario says it has found about 1,800 death registrations of school-aged Indigenous children that it will release to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Call to Action # 75
Identify, protect and commemorate residential school cemeteries
Update to “Stakeholder Commitments to Preserving…: British Columbia
Nov. 18, 2021: Ahousaht First Nation is taking its first steps toward searching the grounds of two former residential schools on its territory for human remains: Ahousaht IRS and Christie IRS
Update to “Stakeholder Commitments to Preserving…: Alberta
Oct. 18, 2021 – Ground-penetrating radar work begins at Red Deer IRS as part of larger collaboration across Alberta agreed upon by nine First Nations groups Oct. 26, 2021: Nine Indian Residential Schools have received $30,000 from the provincial government following a funding commitment earlier this year through the Heritage Preservation Partnership Program
Update to “Stakeholder Commitments to Preserving…: Ontario
Oct. 29, 2021: Government of Ontario is funding over $20 million in Indigenous-focused mental health and addictions programs and services to directly support Indian residential school survivors. Nov., 2021: The search for unmarked graves at the former Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario has begun
Update to “Stakeholder Commitments to Preserving…: Saskatchewan
Nov. 4, 2021 – Star Blanket Cree Nation begins ground-penetrating radar searches at site of Lebret IRS that could take up to 3 years to complete
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Home Page: Current Problems for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
The Government of Canada has not handed over all records in their possession to the NCTR
Oct. 19, 2021: Prime Minister Trudeau erred when he stated that the federal government had handed over all residential school records to the NCTR. A number of records are still missing
Call to Action # 77
All archives to collaborate with NCTR on collection of all records
Update to “Government Commitments to provide records….“: Ontario
Nov. 1, 2021: Ontario government has found about 1,800 death registrations of school-aged Indigenous children that it will release to the NCTR
Media and Reconciliation
C2A # 92
Adopt UNDRIP as a reconciliation framework, apply to policy and operations
Update to “Arrest of Journalists at Wet’suwet’en protests”
Nov. 18, 2021: Two journalists reporting from the Wet’suwet’en territory were among 15 people arrested and detained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia
Business and Reconciliation
Home Page: Current problems
Update to ” Big 5 Bank investment policies in Arctic Wildlife Refuge”
Nov. 22, 2021: US Congress passed “Build Back Better Act”, which restores protections to Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit (The Sacred Place Where Life Begins), also known as the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
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